Charity leaders – keep up with changes in HR and Charity Law
In this article, Debra Allcock Tyler explores the challenge small charity leaders face in keeping up with vital legal updates, like the new October 2024 duty requiring employers to proactively prevent sexual harassment, while juggling day-to-day demands.
Did you know that since October 2024, employers are under a positive legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment at work. What this means is that the onus is now on the employer to proactively prevent harassment, not just react to complaints—a significant, yet not yet widely recognised, shift.
I only know this because our Company Secretary, Harry Wrafter, keeps me updated on changes to employment law so that we’re ready.
And I’m lucky to have him because honestly, I had never bothered thinking about laws, regulations and HR issues when I worked for a much bigger charity. All that was done by someone else, usually fully qualified, and all we had to do was follow the policies.
So, it was quite a shock when I came to run a smaller charity to realise there was no one else to do this work; it was down to me and someone else, that someone else now being my colleague, Harry!
That’s the real challenge with smaller charity leadership: you become a leader because you want to support the cause, help the community, save lives. But you end up doing not much of that and an awful lot of trying to keep up with the latest changes in employment law, or health and safety, or safeguarding, or GDPR… You get the picture.
But all of that stuff really does matter. Not just because it’s law, but because laws and regulations are there for a reason, to protect both your employees and you as an employer.
But of course, you can’t keep up. You simply don’t have time to read legal updates because you’re filling in a funding application.
Your perusal of the latest guidance from the Charity Commission is interrupted by the need to spend time with a volunteer in meltdown.
Your attempt to catch up on changes to employment law is ruined by the toilet malfunction and instead of reading the update from ACAS, you’re wearing rubber gloves, wielding a plunger and using creative language about the sorts of people who block loos and leave them blocked! (Can you hear the bitter experience there? 😉)
And you can’t sort the wheat from the chaff, ie, what changes really matter and you must implement and what you can probably safely delay.
Nonetheless, you need to know stuff.
If you’re lucky enough, as we are, to have a colleague with that brief, then that’s great. But if not, then what do you do?
Well, that’s where we come in. Conferences like our HR and Employment Law one, which will do the thinking for you. You’re kept up to date on what you must know, with the presentations shared with you afterwards so you can refresh your memory. And we also have an up-to-date set of policies and procedures templates to save you hours of thinking and work in making sure your policies and procedures are compliant!
Want to know more?
The Charity HR and Legal Conference on Thursday 7 August will offer valuable insights and practical knowledge to help charities navigate the complex HR and legal landscape, helping to ensure you are well-prepared for the challenges ahead in 2025 and beyond.
With expert-led sessions, this conference is an essential opportunity for charities to stay ahead of regulatory changes while fostering a thriving workplace culture. Join us for a day of learning, collaboration and actionable takeaways designed to empower your charity to adapt and succeed in an ever-changing landscape.
